Receptacles of light metal for liquefied gas, particularly adapted for recharging liquefied gas lighters



y 1959. c. ZELLWEGER I 2,895,633

RECEPTACLES OF LIGHT METAL FOR LIQUEFIED GAS, PARTICULARLY ADAPTED FORRECHARGING LIQUEFIED GAS LIGHTERS Filed Sept. 30, 1955 INVENTOR.

Come/w ZELLWEGER United States Patent a RECEPTACLES OF LIGHT METAL FORLIQUE- FIED GAS, PARTICULARLY ADAPTED FOR RE- CHARGING LIQUEFIED GASLIGHTERS Conrad Zellweger, Chene-Bougeries, Geneva, Switzerland,assignor to La Nationale S.A., Geneva, Switzerland, a Swiss companyVarious types of metallic receptacles for liquefied gas, particularlyadapted for recharging liquefied gas lighters, are known.

Known receptacles are obtained by successive stamp ings and compressionof one of their ends in such a manner as to form a part adapted toreceive the closure and connecting device. Another known type ofreceptacle is formed by two stamped shells soldered one to the other, towhich is also soldered a part receiving the closure and connectingdevice. These receptacles are very expensive as their manufacture isrelatively complicated.

Other receptacles, of simpler construction, are formed by a cylinder ofa light alloy, obtained by impact spinning and closed by a part adaptedto receive a closure device, said part being connected to the first bycrimping and the fluid-tightness being obtained by means of a flexiblejoint.

When receptacles of said latter type are being filled with liquefiedgas, care must be taken not to effect the filling to too great anextent, so as always to leave a predetermined volume of non-liquefiedgas in the interior of the receptacle. Without this precaution thestatic pressure in the interior of the receptacle may reach considerablevalues, for example as a result of an increase in temperature, whichpressure may disengage the said part. Said latter is then violentlyexpelled by the expansion of gas contained in the receptacle, which thusconstitutes a source of danger. Further, it is known that it isexceedingly difiicult to connect together hermetically by soldering, twothin walls of light metal.

The invention has for its object to permit of the construction of asimple receptacle, at little expense, which does not have theabove-mentioned danger. It'has for its subject a receptacle of lightmetal for liquefied gas, particularly adapted for recharging liquefiedgas lighters. Said receptacle is characterised in that there is formed asubstantially cylindrical part having an open end, by imparting to theWall of this part a thickness which is greater near the open end than atthe opposite end, Whilst this open end is closed by means of a secondpart, said two parts fitting at least partly one into the other, andthat they are connected together by means of an organic material forminga joint, said material being so placed as to be urged mainly only byshearing.

In the above connection, the invention has for its further object anarticle of manufacture in the form of a safe, strong, light, disposable,inexpensive tubular receptacle which may be made economically by coldimpact extruded metal procedures and wherein the wall portion of greaterthickness telescopically receives a cap or plug secured by a polymerizedresinous seal while the thinner portion of the wall is frangible underinternal pressure lower than the pressure tending to apply rupturingshearing force on the seal which would tend to disconnect the cap orplug from the receptacle with the force of an unrestrained and unguidedprojectile.

Four forms of construction of the subject of the in- Patented July 21,1959 vention are shown, by way of example, in the accompanying drawings,wherein:

Figs. 1 to 4 of the drawing are longitudinal sections of fourreceptacles according to these forms of construction.

The receptacle shown in Fig. 1 comprises a part 1 of aluminium, in theform of a tube. Said part is obtained by impact extrusion in the coldand is closed at one of its ends by a nozzle member 2, having an orifice3 for filling and for the outflow of liquefied gas contained in thereceptacle. Said member 2 is provided so as to allow of the connectionof the receptacle to a valve of the lighter to be filled. The open endof the tube 1 is closed by a part comprising a cylindrical wall 4,secured to a bottom 5, which is arched towards the outside relatively tosaid wall. The arched bottom 5 is first introduced into the open end ofthe part 1 and the plug thus formed is connected to the said part 1 bymeans of a polymerised synthetic resin 6, for example epoxy resin of theethoxyline class. After fitting the plug 4, 5, the tube is placed into astove for ensuring the polymerization of the resin 6. This forms a jointwhich is positioned in such a manner as urged principally only byshearing action. For this purpose, the wall of the tube 1 is made ofgreater thickness near the open end than at the opposite end, that is tosay near the connecting member 2. This variation of the thickness of thewall is of the order of 10 to 20% and is obtained by imparting adetermined shape to the die used for the production of the tube. In thismanner, when the tube is subjected to an exaggerated internal pressure,its wall is deformed near the end carrying the member 2 and, when thispressure is sufiicient, the wall splits at this point, whereby the gasis allowed to escape. Meanwhile, by reason of its greater thickness, thewall has practically not been subjected to any deformation in thevicinity of the plug 4, 5, so that the resistance of the connectionbetween the said plug and the wall of the tube has not decreased. It isknown in fact that synthetic resins of the type referred to have a highresistance to shearing forces, but a much lower resistance to tensionforces. The variation of the thickness of the wall of the tube 1 thuspermits of avoiding an expansion of the latter under the action of thepressure of the liquefied gas, and consequently preventing tractionforces from being generated between the plug 4, 5 and the wall of thetube 1. Further, it will be understood that the thickness of the wall ofthe tube, at the point at which it is thinner, should be sufiicientl'yweak so as to creak under the action of a pressure which is insufficientto apply shearing forces on the binding material 6 which are greaterthan those which it can resist.

It will be understood that in the form of construction according to Fig.l, the plug 4, 5 may be introduced in the opposite direction, in such amanner that the arched bottom 5 is located as near as possible to theopen end of the tube 1. The capacity of the tube is thus increased by avolume corresponding substantially with that of the plug 4, 5.

Fig. 2 shows a first modification according to which the open end of thetube 1 is closed by a plug 7 comprising a cylindrical part surroundingthe end of the tube. The thickness of the wall of the latter alsoincreases in approaching the end closed by the plug 7. Also in this casethe joint 6 is not subjected to shearing forces between the plug 9 andthe walls of the tube 1.

In the modifications shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the part in the form of atube 1 has a bottom in one piece 8. The thickness of the wall of saidtube increases as it approaches its open end which is closed by a parthaving an outflow orifice 3, provided in a member 2. In Fig. 3 said partcomprises a cylindrical part 9, attached to the member 2 by a conicalwall 10. The cylindrical wall 9 is fitted into the open end of the tube1 sufiiciently in the interior of. the latter so. that the. outer edgeof the conical wall is located in the interior of said tube and that thematerial 6, forming the joint, is comprised between the inner 'face ofthe tube, on the one hand, and the outer face of the cylindrical wall 9and at least a portion of the conical wall 10, on the other hand.

The form of construction shown in Fig. 4 only differs from that shown inFig. 3 by the fact that the cylindrical wall 9 surrounds the end of thetube instead of being fitted into this.

It will be understood that the part in the form of a.

tube may have a polygonal, particularly rectangular, cross-section.

The material used for binding together the two parts:

of the receptacle may be of an organic material different from resins ofthe ethoxyline class, for example a gum with a cellulose base.

I claim:

1. As an article of manufacture, a capsule for containing liquefied gasor the like which generates substantial pressures in passing from theliquid to the gaseous nular upstanding flange, said plug being smallerthan the bore of the said body and being mounted in the bore with theperipheral rim of the said flange flush with the peripheral rim of therelatively thicker end of the said body wall and the convex side of thebottom facing the neck portion of the capsule in the provision of anan-- nular recess, and a polymerized synthetic plastic sealingcomposition between the outer annular surface of the said flange and thesaid annular recess at the base of the said arcuate bottom wall and thecontiguous portion of the interior Wall of the bore of the body, saidsealing compound when aged serving to provide a seal of greater strengthand resistance to fracture than the thin wall at the opposite end of thebody, whereby excessive pressures developed in the container willfracture the said thin portion of the Wall to thereby relieve saidpressures without disturbing said plug in its sealed mounting.

2. As an article of manufacture, a strong, light, disposable,inexpensive tubular receptacle for recharging lighters with a liquefiedgas which generates substantial pressures in passing from the liquid tothe gaseous phase, said receptacle being adapted to be shelf-stocked andsafely carried on the person of a user to hold and dispense saidliquefied gases; comprising a cylindrical body of cold impact extrudedmetal, said body having a substantially uniform bore and having wallstapering in thickness from one end to the other, thereby providing arelatively thin wall at one end, a closure member on the relativelythick wall end of the body, said closure memher having a wall portionand also having an annular flange angularly extending from said closurewall portion, said annular flange being in telescopic engagement withthe said relatively thick end of the body and coacting with saidangularly connected closure wall. and a contiguous portion of said bodyat said relatively thicker end of said body wall in the provision of anannular fillet, and a polymerized resinous sealing composition betweenthe respective contiguous surfaces of the walls of the said body and thesaid annular flange of said closure wall and within said annular fillet,said sealing composition wheni aged in closure sealing position servingto provide a..closure; seal of greater strength and resistance to:fracture than the relatively thin wall end of the body at the opposite.end thereof from said. closure, whereby excessive pressures developed inthe receptacle will fracture the said thin. wall end, to. therebyrelieve said pressures without disturbing. said closure with its sealedmounting.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,903,630 Minor Apr. 11, 1933 2,026,133 Mapes Dec. 31, 1935 2,197,434McManus et al. Apr. 16, 1940 2,236,960 Salmond et al. Apr. 1, 19412,397,370 Raven et al Mar. 26, 1946 2,584,095" Slaughter Jan. 29, 1952FOREIGN PATENTS 778,274 Great Britain July 3, 1957 OTHER REFERENCESArticle: November 1948, British Plastics, pp. 521-527, entitledAraldite, by Moss. (Copy in 260-47 Ep.)

Article: Cold Extrusion of Steel, by Lloyd and Kopecki, in IronAge,August 4, 1949, pp. and 98 relied on. (Photostat in 220-3.)

Articles in Modern Plastics, as follows:

(I) October 1952, pp. 89-94, entitled Epoxies-No Wonder. (Photostat onfile 260-47 Ep.)

(H) September 1954, entitled Alloying With. Epoxies,"

by Charlton, p. relied upon, but article covers pp. 155-7, -1 and240-243. (Photostat on file 260-47 Ep.)

Advertisement of Ciba Company, Incorporated, for

Araldite. (Original on them 260-47 Ep.)

